Karrie Kingsley OTD, OTR/L

Assistant Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy

Biography

Karrie Kingsley is an expert in early intervention and school-based occupational therapy. She was the Project Director of the Training Occupational Therapy Specialists (TOTS) grant, a U.S. Department of Education training grant which trained dozens of USC occupational therapy graduate students to provide interventions for young children and their families.

Dr. Kingsley earned her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy degree from USC with a portfolio program focused on occupation-based approaches to developing social skills in elementary school. She received her Master of Arts degree in Occupational Therapy from USC and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development from California State University, Long Beach.

Education

Doctorate of Occupational Therapy(OTD)
University of Southern California
2007

Master of Arts(MA) in Occupational Therapy
University of Southern California
2001

Bachelor of Arts(BA) in Human Development
California State University, Long Beach
1998

Publications

Books

During early childhood, most children in the United States achieve their developmental milestones; however, about 1 of every 6 children will have a developmental disability or disabling behavioral problem before age 18. Less than half are identified during early childhood. Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants work with families and caregivers to support and enhance young children's ability to engage in occupations appropriate to their age. This is a critical time not only to educate children but to also provide them with support to participate fully throughout their lives.

This publication addresses occupational therapy practice for children birth to age 5 years, including early intervention and preschool practice. It defines the occupational therapy domain, process, and intervention that occur within the boundaries of acceptable practice. Topics include prematurity, ASDs, feeding disorders, obesity, the NICU, and cerebral palsy, as well as motor and praxis skills, sensory-perceptual skills, emotional regulation, cognitive skills, and communication and social skills. Interventions discussed include those promoting social-emotional development; for feeding, eating, and swallowing; for improving cognitive development; for promoting motor performance; and for service delivery in early childhood. Appendices contain additional information relating to early childhood practice, coding for intervention and evaluations, funding sources affecting early childhood settings, and methodologies used in the evidence-based literature review.

Journal Articles

Kingsley, K. L., & Mailloux, Z. (2013). Evidence for the effectiveness of different service delivery models in early intervention services. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67, 431-436. doi:10.5014/ajot.2013.006171. Link to full textAbstract →← Abstract

Consideration of the evidence for all aspects of service delivery is a growing relevant concern of occupational therapists, including those providing early intervention to children and families. We conducted a review of the literature to uncover what evidence existed for determining the effectiveness of different service delivery models and methods used to improve occupational performance for children and families who receive early intervention services. Through a comprehensive search, we reviewed and synthesized studies, finding common themes of family-centered and routine-based approaches, service setting, and the inclusion of parent participation and training. Families consistently reported positive perceptions of family-centered and routine-based approaches. Parent participation and training resulted in positive outcomes. No specific setting or method of service delivery was identified as clearly most effective, with most studies reporting combined approaches and environments for interventions.